Tangled Destinies
by CSOncer
Summary: When Killian Jones steals Rumplestitskin's dagger, he takes cover in an old and abandoned tower. Little does he know, the Lost Princesses, Emma Swan and Red Lucas, are hidden away in that tower, kidnapped as babies by a spiteful Evil Queen. Along with Dr. Frankenstein, these four might just find what they never knew they were looking for: Love. Tangled AU. Rating will chance.
1. Prologue

**AN: Just so you know, this prologue was really written just to give you a general backstory of the basic information you need to know. There are a few other things though, that probably won't be explicitly explained at any point, so ****_PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING FACTS:_**

**In this story:**  
**1. Hook didn't leave Neverland and meet Cora.**  
**2. Rumple and Milah never had Bae, though she still left him for Hook, and Rumple still killed her. He became the Dark One for different reasons, and he wanted to enact the curse because he just enjoys screwing with everyone's lives. He also doesn't have the squid ink in his cell.**  
**3. Werewolves cange under different circumstances than just it being a full moon. I don't want to give away more than that.**

**There are probably a few other big points, but I can't think of them right now, so make sure to always read the Author's Note, because I'll keep you updated on any canon plot points I've gotten thrown out.**

**Anyways, this is JUST a general backstory. The prologue is supposed to be written kind of how Grimm's fairytales are, so basically not too long, and just the story's plot, no specifically detailed sentences or insight into characters. I promise, that'll come in the rest of the story.**

**Thanks for reading, please leave me some feedback! I apologize for any spelling or grammatical errors there might be.**

**—**

**Prologue**

Once upon a time, in the Enchanted Forest, there was a young doctor who made a grave mistake…

Hoping to bring his brother back from the dead, he lied to the Queen, and told her that her late fiance ould not be brought back to life. The famous sorcerer, Rumplestiltskin, promised him a heart which would then allow him to raise his brother, on the condition that he told this lie. But things didn't go as planned. His brother became a monster, a mere shadow of the man he was before. This doctor's name was Victor Frankenstein.

In desperation, he went to the queen, Regina, who had once been happy and kind. Due to Victor's lies, however, Regina had become malevolent and bitter. When he told her what he had done and begged for forgiveness and help, Regina rejected him. She blamed him for what had happened to her beloved, and banished him from her kingdom.

Victor was not the only one who Regina blamed for her fiance's death, however. Snow White, her step daughter, had told a terrible secret, which had led to his murder. When Snow grew older and found her own true love, Regina became very angry. She didn't believe that Snow should be able to have a happy ending, since her own had been ripped from her. She threatened Snow White and her new husband, Prince Charming, with a dark curse that would tear the happy endings from everyone in the Enchanted Forest.

Victor, who had heard of Queen's threat, went to Snow and Charming. He offered his services in helping them defeat Regina, for he was angry with her for not helping him reanimate his brother. Snow and Charming accepted his offer, though they warned him he would be unsuccessful. Rumplestiltskin had told them that nothing could stop the curse, and the future was written.

Much to everyone's surprise, however, Victor was able to steal the curse from Regina's castle. He brought it back to the royal newlyweds, and the three of them decided that the curse couldn't be destroyed, because none of them knew anything about magic. It was too risky that Regina would find some way to mend it and use it against them. Instead, they would hide it where it could never be found. But before they got the chance, Regina discovered that Victor had taken the curse. In a fit of rage, she stormed into the castle and kidnapped Victor, despite the Royal Guard's attempts to stop her. She questioned him for the whereabouts of the curse. Victor refused to tell her, and Regina, declaring him useless, sent him through a portal to a distant world known as Neverland, where nobody ever grew up. She hoped that this would provide Victor with eternal sadness for what he had done to her, and how he would now be unable to stop her from terrorizing the Charmings.

What Regina didn't know was that when she disposed of him, she was sending the dark curse away as well. Victor had the little orb on his person when he had been pushed through the portal. When he arrived in Neverland, Victor hid the curse in the middle of the island. Very few people lived there, and he knew nobody would ever find it.

Victor ended up being taken in by a group of children living on the island known as the Lost Boys. He was considered a father figure to the children. He would tell them stories and give them their medicine.

The Lost Boys were a group seemingly as ancient as the land itself. Orphaned boys had taken refuge there for years, fighting their inevitable growth. They battled pirates, Indians, and whatever other groups they deemed worthy of fighting. Their nemesis while Victor was living in Neverland was Captain Hook and his crew of pirates, some of the most feared men in all the lands. The boys harbored a grudge against the captain, a feud that started long before Victor arrived, and the children refused to tell him how the fighting had began. Still, even if he didn't know why his "sons" hated him, Victor grew to loathe Hook, and the feeling was mutual. The reasons behind that are important, but to be told on future day.

Meanwhile, in the Enchanted Forest, Snow and Charming had new problems to worry about. Widow Lucas, their lifelong friend, had recently passed away. The Widow's grandchild, Red (who was only a month older than Emma), had been left with nobody to take care of her. Her father had ran away, and her mother had died while giving birth. Snow and Charming took the girl in, and treated her like their own daughter.

One night, while Snow and Charming were fast asleep in their bedchamber, Regina snuck into the castle. Her need to hurt Snow hadn't diminished; on the contrary, she was filled with more anger now that her curse had failed. She stole Red and Emma out of their cribs, knowing that losing them would devastate the Charmings. Regina planned to kill them, but felt pity when she looked upon their innocent faces. So instead, she brought them to a tower out in the middle of a long-since forgotten part of the forest. She raised them there as her own children.

When Snow and Charming awoke, they were frantic. They ordered nearly all of their guards to go and search for them. They knew that Regina must've been the one to take them, for nobody else in the kingdom would dream of stealing the beloved infants.

The distressed parents went to Rumplestiltskin, hoping that he would ease their minds. Rumplestiltskin promised to tell them, if they did something for him in return. He gave them his magical dagger, which he had hidden in his very cell. He told them to guard this dagger with all of their forces, and in return, he would tell them what had happened to Red and Emma. They agreed, and took the dagger. Rumplestiltskin proceeded to deliver a prophecy, similar to the one he made when they came to ask him about the dark curse. "The future has been tampered with by the Doctor. Now, the Queen had chosen a new way to inflict her wrath. She has your two dearies hidden, far from you. There is no hope for you to ever find them." In tears, Snow and Charming began to leave, when Rumplestiltskin shouted out after them from his prison, with a crazed tone of voice. "But they will find you! So long as you continue making your search and love for them known…" he took a shuddering breath, and then finished, "they will find you."

Snow and Charming wanted Rumplestiltskin to tell them more, but he couldn't. "The future is too unclear. To many variables can be changed on a whim."

They went to leave again, but Snow turned back again. "If you had your dagger with you all this time, why do we need to hide it? Wouldn't it be protected from anybody else here with you, where nobody can break in?"

Rumplestiltskin giggled in an amusing yet eerie way. Almost as though it were an afterthought, he grinned, "Oh yes, there is one other thing I see in the future. Your daughters, when they come to find you, will have company. Red will find love with one you are all too familiar with,". He paused, closing his eyes, and continued with a strained voice, like he was pushing the boundries of his ability to see the future. "A man… of science. And Emma… her and a thief, the one who will steal that very dagger, have tangled destinies; intertwined and roped together, as sure as you two were always destined for each other."

Decidedly ignoring the fact that Rumplestitskin had spoken as though he were making a prophecy, and the implication that their daughter's soul mate would be a lowly thief, Snow and Charming focused on something else the Dark One had said.

"Wait," he spoke slowly, "Does that mean that you're giving us the dagger not to protect it, but to insure that it gets stolen?" This was certainly not the first time they were questioning the man's sanity, but his clear madness shown through in this moment more than usual.

The only response he got was another giggle, while Rumplestiltskin slithered back into the depths of his prison.

Sticking to what the Dark One told them, Charming and Snow kept looking for their daughters, even though they also knew their attempts were useless. To keep their love for Emma and Red known, they sent hundred of lanterns into the sky every year on Emma's birthday, in the hopes that their signals would cause the lost princesses to return.

Meanwhile, Red and Emma were raised in the obsolete tower. The two would watch from the windows of their tower, and see the lanterns every year, never knowing what their purpose was. Regina never told them, and never allowed them to leave the tower. She came up with stories about how cruel a place the outside world was, and how she was protecting them. She even told them that they had been abandoned on her doorstep by parents who didn't want to be burdened with them. Little did they know, their parents were searching tirelessly, hoping to one day be reunited.

Of course, there might be a few complications before they reached that happy day. After all, every great love story, whether it be with kin, friends, or soul mates, deserves a great journey.


	2. Chapter 1

**Chapters: 2/?**

**Rating: K+**

**Relationships: Killian Jones/Emma Swan & Victor Frankenstein/Red Lucas**

**Genre: Romance & Adventure **

**Summary: When Killian Jones steals Rumplestitskin's dagger, he takes cover in an old and abandoned tower. Little does he know, the Lost Princesses, Emma Swan and Red Lucas, are hidden away in that tower, kidnapped as babies by a spiteful Evil Queen. Along with Dr. Frankenstein, these four might just find what they never knew they were looking for: Love. Tangled AU. Rating will change.**

**AN: The first official chapter! I promised to have this up a few days ago, but that finale distracted me a bit...or a lot...but I've stopped crying by now at least!**

**Just so you know, I've kind of molded these character's Storybrooke identities and their fairytale identities. Fore example, Victor is still called Dr. Frankenstein and has an english accent (because HOT), but he also has a little bit of the ladies-man attitude he had as Whale (though to a much smaller scale). That molding of personalities shows up in most of the characters.**

**Oh also, because I bet someone will ask just because they're curious after this chapter, no, Snow and Victor never had a thing like they did as Mary Margaret and Whale. They're just very good friends.**

**I'll give a virtual cookie to anybody who can guess which character from Tangled Victor is representing in this fanfic.**

**Enjoy, favorite, subscribe, and please please please please review!**

Chapter 1

"I'm sorry boys, but my real home isn't here. I need to return," Victor was telling the Lost Boys as he slung his bag over his shoulder, filled with his few precious possessions.

"No father no, you can't leave!" "I'll make you stay!" "Who'll tell us stories?" They all shouted chaotically. Victor smiled weakly. He cared deeply for them, but he needed to return to Snow and Charming. He had pledged to protect them and their children, Red Emma, when Regina had sent him here.

He was getting back via magic bean. He obtained one from making some shifty deals at the island's tavern. There always tended to be some creepy fellows in there that conveniently had exactly what you were looking for. Well, almost all the time. But it had taken Victor just a little bit less than 22 years to find something that could transport him back.

He fondly thought back on the days when he had jumped from land to land using Jefferson's hat. Those days were long gone. If rumors were correct, Jefferson too had suffered the same fate as he; marooned in some distant land, with limited resources to get back. But he was finally going to be able to return, despite all of the gold it had cost him.

Actually, at the end of the day, the gold wasn't the cost. It was the Lost Boys, his son's, happiness that he had to pay. Or maybe it was his own. He knew that once he was gone, they would forget. That's what everyone does in Neverland. They forget. Especially the Lost Boys. They were children who had come to escape their awful lives in their homes. They came with the sole purpose of forgetting. If they got to forget pain but he did not, perhaps it was him who had to pay the price.

Yes, through all of Neverland's magic, Victor remembered. He had kept focused on getting back to the Enchanted Forest all these years, and he had finally gotten his ticket home. "I'll never forget you, trust me," he told them. They all assured him of the same thing, but it was with teary eyes that Victor threw the magic bean into the ocean. It was a lie, and they didn't even know it. He hoped that they would stay childishly naive for as long as they could.

Passingly, Victor thought of the two princesses he woud soon be meeting. He wondered how they had grown up, and if life had burnt them in the same way it had burnt the lost souls in Neverland. It probably had. It was impossible to make it through life without getting hurt. _Maybe once I'm with them, I'll be able to help. Maybe there are still some things I can fix,_ he though bitterly.

One boy, Slightly, latched his arms around the doctor's leg. The other boys, following suit, clung to him for dear life. It broke his heart that he nearly had to kick them off. "Boys! I don't know how long this'll stay open, and I need to leave, now. I'm sorry, I really really am, but I have to- It's just grown up stuff. I have responsibilities."

"Then don't grow up, father!" Curly yelled.

"I'm truly so sorry..." Victor knelt down, and turned each of their heads so they were looking at him directly, "but we all have to sooner or later." He nodded at Slightly. "You'll take care of them, now that I'm gone, right? I'm entrusting that responsibility to you."

"Aye aye!" Slightly responded, throwing his hand to his forehead in a salute. His posture was suddenly straightened dramatically, and his eyes held a new gleam of purpose.

"Then...goodbye, children," Victor said quietly, and with that, jumped into the portal that would lead him home.

After centuries of trying to find out, Hook finally had it. The whereabouts of Rumplestiltskin's dagger. Some men had come into the local tavern recently, talking about how King Charming and Queen Snow were hiding it up in their castle, and how you'd have to be mad to try to take it. Lucky for him, he had nothing to lose. Perhaps a dangerous quest to get it was what he needed. If he died along the way, so be it.

That had, in fact, been his outlook on his extended, miserable, singularly focused life for a long time. While he had sworn to get revenge on the Dark One for cutting off his hand and killing Milah, his love, in cold blood, he had never lost the "I laugh in the face of danger" attitude that he embodied in his youth.

His youth. Now _that_ was a bag he really didn't need to open right now. Or ever.

He was so close to revenge that he could practically taste it. Hook had also heard that the Lost Boy's "father" (_detestable man_, Hook thought viciously. You see, ever since the doctor and the pirate had met, there had been a long-lasting disdain. Victor, who had always been a proper man with good raising, considered a pirate to be about the lowest profession one could have. Hook was exactly the other way around, thinking of Victor as incredibly uptight. Their personalities clashed more than any other man the two had ever met.) was planning on journeying to that land as well. If rumors were correct, he had managed to get a magic bean, and as Hook snuck toward the boy's home, he knew that rumors were correct. A short way away from their hideout, Frankenstein could be seen throwing a small object into the water, and a giant vortex started swirling as soon as contact was made. This was his ticket to Rumplestiltskin. To his revenge.

Without thinking, he began to run at the shore. He needed to get there before the portal closed. He had been planning on bringing his entire ship and crew, but circumstances had presented themselves in a such a convenient way, he couldn't resist. He had always been spontaneous, and always would be. Victor had already been swallowed by the water once Hook got there. The pirate heard a few shouts of, "Hey!" "It's Hook!" "Stop him!" coming from the boys, but he didn't pay attention. They would be incapable of stopping him. Nothing would be capable of stopping him.

Not slowing down, he ran straight off the dock, reaching the portal just a few moments before it closed.

"Your majesties, Dr. Frankenstein requests to meet with you," a guard said nervously from the doorway to the throne room.

"Doctor..." Charming trailed off, gaping at his wife. Her pretty face had the same shock etched on it. Neither of them had expected to see him again. "Send him in, then! Quickly!"

"What, does nobody remember me?" A soft, english accent came floating down the corridor, the same humor in it that the Charmings remembered from 21 years ago. Their old friend's face appeared at the door.

"Victor!" Snow shouted, and, hoping off her throne, ran to hug him. He laughed, and tightly hugged her back. He had only known the royals for a very short time, but he grown very close to them.

"Your majesties," he bowed low, still smiling.

"How are you here? When Regina took you, we thought..." Snow asked.

"I thought she would too, but she banished me to Neverland. Quite conveinent, really," he said casually, pretending to brush dust off his shoulder. "Still as handsome as ever, what with the not aging thing." All three laughed. He saw a question of their faces, and knew what it was asking. "And don't worry, I hid the curse there. Nobody but me knows it's location. Trust me, it'll never be a problem." They nodded in thanks.

Charming said, "Well, it's good to have you back. At least it's something..."

"Charming, we don't need to get into that now," Snow said quietly. Victor looked between the two, and noticed something about them that he hadn't before. Yes, they were older, but they really looked like it. There were worry lines etched into their faces, and their big grins looked unnatural, almost like they hadn't done it in a while. Before he could ask about it, light, brisk footsteps were heard running up to the door.

"Mother, father, I- who's this?" A young boy, he couldn't be older than 12, ran up to their congregation. Victor glanced down at him, and then back up at his friends.

"Mother? Father?" He questioned jokingly. "When did this happen?" He then turned down to the boy. "If I'm right in assuming that you aren't Emma, that is." The three in his group all became tense, looking everywhere but him. The boy was the first to speak.

"No, I'm Henry."

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Prince Henry," Victor said, but was still distracted by the look on their faces. "Pardon me, but what am I missing here?"

"Oh Victor, it's just that...Emma isn't here," Snow sniffed, holding back tears, and Charming put a protective arm around her shoulders. "SHe hasn't been here in 21 years." Snow tugged herself out of her husbands grip, and ran from the room.

"Please, I beg your pardon, I had no idea-" Victor began.

"No, don't be sorry. She can be really emotional about it," Henry said.

CHarming looked aghast. "Henry! Don't talk like that about your mother!" he yelled, and Henry quickly apologized.

"Sorry, sorry, sorry, It's just..."

"Yes, she can be emotional, but Emma and Red were are children. She has every right to be. How would you expect her to react if Regina kidnapped you?"

"Oh dear, I've definitely overstepped my status. Forgive me," Victor said, making plans of how he could manage to leave the room without being too tactless. _How did I manage to never hear this story in Neverland?_ He thought to himself furiously. But, he thought back on the Lost Boys. Keeping them in line had been more than a full time job. He must've been so cut off from regular civilization that stories of lost princesses in the Enchanted Forest had never reached his ears.

"No, you're a good friend. I'll tell you the story. Henry, could you excuse us?" Charming asked kindly. Henry just nodded, apologized yet again, and walked out of the room. Charming turned to Victor, his coat swooshing around him grandly, and he gestured for the doctor to follow him.

He led him to a dining room, with a large table made out of some expensive looking wood, decorated with candles and fancy silverware. it seemed very foreign to him, after living in the makeshift tree that was transformed into the home of the Lost Boys for years.

Charming jumped into the tale with no preamble. Victor could tell that he wanted to tell the story as quickly as possibly. He suspected that Charming was not as strong as he appeared to be, but he stayed this way to comfort his wife. That had always been a quality Victor had tried to embody for the Lost Boys. Being able to put his own problems behind him to help them. "Not long after she took you, Regina kidnapped Red and Emma. We haven't seen them since, but Rumplestiltskin has told us that they will find us one day. We've just had to keep that in mind, but..it's been hard. We love Henry with all of our hearts, but there's a hole there, that just can't be filled. We've needed to have blind faith in Rumplestiltskin, which, as you can imagine, causes us to doubt that it'll ever happen." Charming's voice broke, and he cut off.

There was a silence for a few moments, while Victor took in that information. A sudden thought dawned on him, and he slumped down in his chair a bit. "If I hadn't taken the curse from Regina, Emma would've been the savior like it said in the first prophecy. That would've been Regina's revenge. She never would've gone after Red and Emma. This...this is my fault." He didn't say it like a question, but Charming jumped in to deny it right away.

"No! No, you can't blame yourself. That's ridiculous. It's not your fault," Charming said with furrowed eyebrows.

"But it is," Victor muttered. "Most things seem to be." Thoughts of his brother's death plagued his mind every day, as did Regina, in her new black garb. He had helped darken her soul. he caused her to become the Evil Queen, and that guilt would weight on him until the day he died. He then looked up at his friend with vigor in his eyes. "I'll find them. I promise."

"No, that would be pointless," Charming sighed, and then. "Rumplestiltskin specifically told us that we would be reunited as long we continued searching for them, but in the end, _they_ would find _us_. We keep soldiers looking for them nonstop, and we have a festival every year on Emma's birthday."

"He's been wrong before, hasn't he? He said there was nothing that could stop the curse. I will still go out to find them. I will do my part for the cause." Charming shook his head, but Victor put his hand on his friend's shoulder, and gripped it tightly. "Please. This is for my own conscience. I can't be left thinking that they're gone because of me. I need to help."

The king seemed to consider him, and then said slowly, "Yes. You may." Victor smiled brightly, and let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you. I'll leave as soon as possible."

Hook had dropped into the middle of the forest, He stayed silent for a few minutes. Barely 20 feet away, he could see Frankenstein as well. He didn't want him to know that he had been followed. Especially not if he was going to reunite with his old royal friends, the very people that Hook would be stealing from in a matter of days.

The actual act of stealing was something that Hook hadn't gotten to thinking about much yet. He knew that he wouldn't be able to do it on his own. He would've done it with Smee, but his companion was back in Neverland, and he mustn't dwell on the past. He would need to find somebody new to commit this crime with. Knowing that creepy but intelligent men who had unnatural knowledge about whatever thing you needed to know tend to hang out in shady bars (just a little fact he'd picked up over the years), his first act was to attempt to find such an establishment.

After finding a road through he forest, it took him mere minutes to find a small tavern called The Snuggly Duckling. It could've not been less aptly named. There was dirt and grime covering almost every surface, all of the drinks were strong enough to make even a pirate like Hook grimace, and terrifying men sat in every corner of the place. Well, terrifying to most people. To Hook, they didn't look threatening. Despite looking like a young man with a hook for a hand and an affinity for leather and eyeliner, Hook was just as menacing as any of them.

He was pleased to see the whole bar grew quiet the moment he entered. It seemed that all eyes were focused on the spot were his left hand had once been. Clearly his reputation proceeded him. He strolled to the bar, where a young man actually scurried out of his seat to open up a spot for him. Knowing that he must keep on this attitude, he sat down without sparing a glance to the boy. He needed to make it clear to everyone that he was in fact the feared pirate captain they had all heard about. He couldn't let anybody know that he needed their assistance until he knew they wouldn't question his authority, simply because it was always easier to have the upper hand (no pun intended).

He ordered a rum from the bartender, and kept his head focused forward, not looking around at his surroundings. Again, it would be another sign of weakness. Conversation started to pick up again, and his rum was placed in front of him.

Much to Hook's shock, however, the man next to him, who was wearing a conspicuous top hat, spoke to him with no fear in his voice. "You're Captain Hook, right?"

Hook turned to glare at this man who dared to not be nervous. He was met with the face of a man with shaggy, unkept hair, a crazed glint in his eye, and very peculiar clothing, looking like it had been sewn together from bits and scraps of other fabrics. "Aye, I am. And you are?"

"Jefferson," the man said simply, but then got back to Hook. It was clear he didn't want to talk about himself. "If rumors are correct, you're looking for the Dark One's dagger?" Hook neither confirmed nor denied it, just took another sip of his drink, which Jefferson took as a yes. "Well, might I offer my assistance it helping to steal it?"

Hook stared at the man in confusion, one of the few times he had ever been surprised. How was it this easy for him to find the very type of man he was looking for? "And why do you want it, mate?"

Jefferson cleared his throat. "Regina, the queen, abandoned me in Wonderland many years ago, taking my portal-jumping hat with her. I tried for many years to make a hat that could bring me back to my daughter, and eventually I did, but we're quite poor. Having the Dark One's power would make me rich." Again he tried to change the subject back to Hook. "You want it for revenge, correct? What did he do to you?"

"That's none of you're business, I'm afraid," Hook said pointedly, and the two fell into a silence. Of course it was to help a child. Parents always wanted to help their children. Well, almost all parents, he thought bitterly, but pushed the thoughts to the back of his mind.

This Jefferson seemed like an honorable enough man. Hook doubted he had another agenda. Perhaps he could trust him.

"I actually worked with Rumplestiltskin once." That sentence cause Hook's head to pop back up staring at his companion in alarm. "I helped him ruin the queen's life." Jefferson let out a bitter laugh. "I guess that came back to bite me in the ass."

"Wait...You don't happen to know Victor Frankenstein, do you?" Hook asked, surprised yet again. Who knew the Crocodile would work with such a strange man as the one sitting next to him, and the old father of the Lost Boys? But he did recall from stories that he heard that the two men Rumplestiltskin had enlisted to help break the queen had been a doctor and a...hatter? Well, it explained the top hat.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. Why?"

"No reason, I just know him. I trust that the fact that you've worked with the Dark One won't cause you to take pity on him?"

"Definitely not. Our alliance is long since over," Jefferson assured him.

After another brief silence, Hook felt that he needed to ask him a few more questions. "And you are aware that you have to be mad to try to steal from the royal palace?"

"Funny you should say mad, that happens to be the best word you could possibly find to describe me," Jefferson laughed, and Hook saw the slightly crazed smile again. Yes, he could see the truth of Jefferson's words clearly.

"Very well, what can you do to help me steal the dagger? Apparently it's placed under the highest guard that the Charmings could come up with."

"They don't have this though," Jefferson smiled, with a hint of an eccentric edge to it, and he held up a small bottle filled with...

"Sparkly water? Wonderful," Hook rolled his eyes. Perhaps this man was worthless.

"No, not water. Poison. It makes people fall unconscious in a matter of moments."

"Ah. How did you happen upon that?" Hook questioned.

"I told you, I was a portal jumper. You tend to collect some interesting stuff after doing that for half your life."

Hook looked yet again at this man with newfound respect. "Well then Jefferson, it appears you'll be useful to me after all," Hook nodded in approval. A part of him felt bad. He had betrayed some men similar to Jefferson; desperate, willing to do anything to help others. While he wasn't planning on doing it now, he never knew how situations would pan out. If he ended up being given the choice between helping Jefferson or getting the dagger, there was no question that he would choose the latter. He just hoped that time wouldn't come because, despite his reputation, he didn't exactly fancy the idea of separating a man from his daughter.

"Why is it that the royal family guards this dagger, anyways?" Hook asked. He suspected it would have to do with some deal, but he was curious to see if Jefferson knew how that deal had come to pass, and what both parties had given. The more information he knew, the better.

"Apparently they promised to keep it safe in exchange for Rumplestiltskin looking into the future to see if the lost princesses were safe," Jefferson replied nonchalantly.

"I'm sorry, the what?"

"The lost princesses."

"What the bloody hell does that mean? Are they like the Lost Boys?"

"Do you not get information in Neverland or something?" The hatter laughed incredulously. "I've never met anybody who hasn't heard of the Lost Princesses."

Hook stared at him, obviously prompting Jefferson to tell the history of these princesses. He merely continued to stare into space until the pirate cleared his throat loudly.

"Oh, right. Well basically, the story goes that after Regina failed to enact this curse, she stole the two daughters of Snow and Charming. Well, technically only one was their daughter. Her name was Emma, and she was supposed to have been beautiful. Long blonde hair, and green eyes like nobody's ever seen before. The other one they had taken in, her name was Red, and was supposed to be just as perfect. Basically the two most sterioutypical looking princesses you've ever seen. Well, you can imagine the uproar when these two got kidnapped. The Charmings panicked so much that they made this deal with Rumplestiltskin, and he told them that the princesses would find them, as long as they keep looking. So, they send out parties of soldier all the time, and they celebrate Emma's birthday every year by launching hundred of lanterns into the sky." Jefferson's voice grew softer. "Grace loves the lanterns. Everyone does. They look gorgeous, all floating through the sky..." Hook could only assume that this Grace was Jefferson's daughter.

The lost princesses. It didn't ring a bell in Hook's mind, but then again, he had heard so many stories in his time that they all blended together. "HOw long ago was this?"

"Um, about 21 years I believe. Emma's 22nd birthday is coming up soon." Hook didn't know where this curiosity came from, but the tale intrigued him for some unknown reason. Shaking his head slightly, as if to clear it of his unwanted thoughts (he seemed to be having a lot of those recently), he raised his glass.

"To Grace's good health," he said to Jefferson. His neighbor lifted his in return.

"And to your vengeance."

Their glasses clinked together, the sound forming a bond between the two that was, sadly, destined to break.


	3. Chapter 2

**AN: Sorry it took me so long to update! I've been distracted with finals, but I finished my last one last Thursday and now have the whole summer to write all the time! :) So please enjoy and review this chapter! I'll probably have the next one up by next weekend.**

Just a few miles away from The Snuggly Duckling, a tall tower lay nestled in a tiny clearing, with a thick forest completely surrounding it. This tower was the home of Red and Emma, or the Lost Princesses if you prefer.

Emma Swan (the last name that Regina had given her as a baby) had grown up to be every bit as beautiful as she had been expected to be. Long golden tresses adorned her head, and her bright hazel eyes shone with adventure, but that spirit had been dulled over the years. You see, when the two girls had grown old enough, Regina told them that they had been abandoned when they were very young. Ever since learning this, Emma had become guarded, and scared to trust. Red had as well, but the news hurt Emma much more. Since then, she had wrestled with the question, "Why didn't they want me? What was so bad that they had to give me away?"

Red Lucas (again, a name given by Regina), too, had become extremely beautiful. Wavy, beautiful, dark hair framed her pretty face. Her soft, innocent voice did not, however, reflect her personality. She was far from innocent. Both of them had prickly personalities. Red, being a whole month older than Emma, considered it her job to protect her. She didn't let the pain she felt from being abandoned show.

Not to say that abandonment was the only issue the two had to deal with. The obvious obstacle in their life were the stone walls built up around them. Trapping them. Keeping them from their destinies. Though neither of them knew what great things they were meant for at this time, they couldn't help but feel like there was something greater than their tower in their future.

They were their only company, except for Regina about once every day. Because of that, the two truly considered themselves sisters. They played games together, read books, cooked, and whatever else they could find to distract themselves from their isolation all day. They could communicate with mere eye contact, knowing exactly what the other was trying to get across. Neither could keep a secret from the other. Not that there were real secrets to keep. Life isn't exactly full of hidden escapades and adventures when you've spent 21 years without leaving a building.

Of course, that was one of Regina's rules for them. They couldn't, under any circumstances, leave the tower. The two had suspected for a long time that their mother wouldn't come every day unless it was to check that they hadn't snuck out. Still, they loved her unconditionally, since they had been raised to believe that their sister and Regina were the only people in the world who would care for them. Everyone else would inevitably leave. That presumption had been put in their heads and encouraged by Regina for years. She didn't want them being under the impression that leaving would be "fun", or her revenge could be ruined.

However, that makes it sounds as though Regina didn't care about them. She did, in her own twisted sense of caring, but not nearly enough to ever tell them the truth or allow them to leave. It would be impossible to go 21 years taking care of Emma and Red and not grow to feel something for them.

On this particular day, Emma and Red were playing hide-and-seek, like the sophisticated young adults they were.

"Found ya!" Red shouted, as she turned a corner and saw Emma scrunching herself between one of their many bookshelves and the wall.

"Well of course you did, you only counted to 20. I count to 50 every time," Emma grumbled, crawling out of her spot.

"Or you just suck at losing," Red laughed, holding her hand out to help her up. Emma grabbed it, yanked, and pulled Ruby down on to the ground with her.

"What? No! I'm the best at losing. Never take it personally. You know my motto," Emma said sarcastically. "So that's what, the 18th time you've found me? You feel like we should do something else?"

They both made their way over to the one window in the tower. Red pushed her back up against the pane, looking out into the forest from a sideways angle. Emma hoped over, letting her feet dangle down, and she studied the good 100-foot drop or so. They would do this nearly every day. Stare out, but never dare to really go.

"Your birthday's coming up soon, you know."

"Is it, Red? Really? I had no idea," Emma bit back. She could be construed as extremely harsh to most, but Red knew better. The sarcasm and the sometimes hurtful comments were just part of who she was. She knew Emma never meant it, and never took it to heart.

"And the floating lights'll be back…" she trailed off. This wasn't a conversation the two needed to have. Not again. Every year, they would stare out their window on Emma's birthday, and soon after nightfall, floating lights would fill the sky. It might seem like thinking small, but that was really why they wanted to get out of this tower. To solve the mystery of the floating lights. To figure out what they were for, why they were on Emma's birthday, where they came from. Emma had always felt that the lights must have something to do with their destiny; that they must mean…something. But "something" was all they could ever come up with. Every year since they were about 7, the two had been planning on asking Regina whether they could go to see the lights. They had never done it. Their mother gave off such a persona of negativity when it came to Emma's birthday. She would always get her a present, sure, but her smiles and laughter seemed forced. She never enjoyed it as much as a parent truly should.

"Of course they will. They always are."

"Yeah, it's nice to have that one thing in you're life that you can really depend on right?" Red replied, speaking with the sarcasm both were so familiar with. "You know, when you leave such crazy, wild lives like we do."

Emma, knowing what Red would begin talking about next, cut her off before she could."C'mon, let's not start with this again," she groaned, rubbing her head temple with her fingers lightly. "We both want to leave, but we can't. You know that we can't. Mother would never forgive us, and there's no way in hell we could last two seconds out there."

"Fine, it was just a thought," Red huffed back, and the two sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments. Red, however, didn't like staying quiet. That was probably one of the biggest differences between them. Emma loved being alone, but Red couldn't stand not talking for 5 minutes. "Did you read that book on werewolves I told you about?"

"Yeah, I started it."

"What did you think?" Red asked.

"I think being a wolf would be a real bitch," she replied simply. "Not having the ability to control when you turned? Being a slave of the moon? Sounds awful."

"Yeah, but what if you were the type of wolf that could control when you turned, and could keep themselves in check when they did? Apparently they're really rare, but…"

"That'd be better," Emma conceded, "but I still don't love the sound of it. _You_ seem to, though." Red paused, as though deeply considering her statement.

"I guess so," she said slowly. "Having the ability to change into something else, to become a whole different species, and just…run." They both knew how that sentence would've ended, so she didn't both saying it. "Just run away from your problems. From your fears and anger and regrets."

A little leaf went floating down in front of Emma's face, and her gaze sharpened. She stared intently as it went by, and it suddenly when flying back up on to the tree in had fallen from, reattaching itself. Emma smiled proudly at the tree.

Yes, Emma had magic. It had been a talent that came naturally to her, though it was nearly impossible to control. It had come to her attention when she was nine years old. She had gotten very jealous of Red and her artistic abilities, and had been glaring at her paintbrushes, when somehow, they just started moving across the canvas. Of course, even her magic hadn't been able to create good art, but that was hardly the thing to focus on. Emma had simply always been artistically challenged. Red's face though, when she had looked over and seen Emma staring back in awe while her brushes swept across the page with jerky but graceful motions, had been priceless. Her cherry colored lips had fallen into a perfect 'o'. After a few moments, the two had examined the brushes closely, checking to see if there were invisible strings attached. There hadn't been. Emma had, slowly but surely, learned little bits of magic trough the books that Regina bought for them. It was still spastic and unsteady, but she was learning to do little things like reattach leaves to trees.

Regina had never been told about Emma's little "talent". While both girls loved her, they also knew her well enough to know that this wouldn't please her. Regina herself was a witch, but it didn't change what her reacton would be. She didn't usually respond well when they tried to open up to her. Not exactly a "touchy-feely" parent.

"What on earth are you two doing, practically falling out the window!" A voice sounded from behind them. Speak of the devil…

"Mother!" Red cried happily, putting a faux smile on her face. Emma and her often had conversations interrupted like this, and they learned to adapt, pretending that they had never even considered breaking her "never ever leave this tower ever" rule. Regina had, as usual, appeared in the middle of the room. There was no real way to get into or out of the tower unless you wanted to scale the walls. Fortunately, her magic gave her a much easier way in.

"I got you some fruits from the market this morning," she announced, throwing a basket down on the table. "Oh dear, today's been stressful. Hope yours was better?"

"Yes, actually, we were just talking, and-"

"Speak up please, dear. I can barely hear when you talk these days," Regina smiled. Emma tugged a bit at the sides of her summery dress (she hated dresses, but Regina washed their clothing, and they were all she had left), trying to come up with the proper words.

"Well, basically I've deiced what I want for my birthday," she said clearly, and she sat down next to her mother. Red glanced at her in a panicked way, checking to make sure Emma really wanted to bring this up now. Regina nodded in understanding, and beckoned for her to continue. "Red and I would really like to leave the tower, for just one night, and go see the floating lights," she rushed her words, but Regina must've heard regardless of her speed, because she froze.

"Floating lights?" She asked. "You mean the stars? You don't need to leave you tower to see them."

"These are different, mother," Red spoke up. "They'er bigger than stars, and they mover quickly, and they only appear on Emma's birthday."

Regina glanced at them dubiously. "I haven't the faintest clue what you're talking about, but I really don't have time for this right now. My day was awful, and I'm not going to sit here and play your little games. I've never seen these lights in my life, but even if they were real, I wouldn't let you go. It's a cruel place outside of these walls, girls," she reminded them patronizingly. "This tower protects you. So no, you may not leave." Red and Emma looked at each other in shock. They had been preparing to ask that for practically their whole life, and then Regina had just shot it down? Just like that?

"But-"

"No! Stop questioning me!" Regina practically screamed, her personality changing rapidly. "My word is final!" They fell silent, staring at the ground in shock. Regina, breathing deeply from her explosion, sighed. "Great, now I'm the bad guy."

"No mother, you're not," Red said softly after a moment. "We were being rude. You know what's best for us, and we know that." Regina smiled appreciatively, and turned to Emma, who nodded in agreement, though not very enthusiastically.

"Oh my darlings, I only want what's best for you," Regina said, and stood. "But I really must be off. Eat the fruit!" And in a puff of smoke, she was gone, leaving a devastated Red and Emma in her wake.

"You're sure about this?" Hook whispered to Jefferson, as the two crouched behind a large pillar. After scaling the walls to the tower, they were right outside the room were Rumplestiltskin's dagger was hidden. Surprisingly, there were only a couple men stationed outside. Presumably, after guarding it for nearly 22 years, the king and queen and relaxed on the security a bit.

"Not in the slightest," Jefferson grinned back. The two nodded to each other. Jefferson sprung from behind the pillar, a small vial of his poison uncorked in his hand. Hook heard a few shouts, a splash of water, laughing, and then Jefferson went flying past him into the darkened passage. Two guards went sprinting after him, but after about 10 seconds, they slowed down, and quite suddenly slumped down to the ground. Hook went about dragging them out of the light, went Jefferson reemerged.

"Now that really should've been more difficult."

"Are you complaining?" Hook raised an eyebrow as the two placed the guards away, wiping their hand(s) off a bit, as though the unconscious men had been poisonous (which, considering there were some visible drops of Jefferson's drug on them, they were. The poison didn't have to be ingested, only make physical contact with a human).

"Not in the slightest," the hatter repeated yet again. They ran to the door, and using his metal appendage, Hook picked the lock. The door swung open with surprising ease. _This really is too easy,_ Hook passingly thought, but didn't dwell on it. _Luck must simply be on our side_.

In the center of the room, resting on a small stand, was a purple cushion, with the famed infamous dagger on top of that. No other guards were stationed in the room.

Cautiously, Hook stepped up to it, and placed his one hand onto the handle. Nothing happened; no magic came out of the walls, threatening to kill him, no guards rushing in out of nowhere, no alarms went off, nothing.

"Then let's be on our way, shall we?" He smiled to his companion, and they rushed down the hall, back to the window they had entered from. As they ran, however, they heard some shuffling from behind them. The guards, who had been knocked out with a very small amount of the drug, seemed to be waking up, and would no doubt be after them any moment. "Quickly," he urged, and they reached the window in only a few moments. Hook swung out, and started scaling down the walls, Jefferson close behind him. More shouts were heard from above them, and they knew that more guards would be coming soon.

In a few minutes, they had gotten to the ground. Running as fast as they could toward the gigantic steel gates that protected the castle, they glanced behind, and saw about half a dozen men on horses, pointing in their direction. There was no way both of them would be able to outrun them on foot, unless there was a distraction… And in that moment, Hook knew what he had to do.

Cringing slightly, he pulled a second vial of Jefferson's poison out of his pocket. He had given this to the pirate in case their first plan didn't work out. In case they needed a back up. He had given it to him because he had trusted. Hook had always said that trust was a foolish notion, but he still felt guilty, as, once they had turned a corner and the men could no longer see them, he splashed the substance on Jefferson.

"What're you…" he gasped, looking down at the glass in Hook's hand.

"I'm sorry," Hook muttered quickly. "Truly I am. But we can't stick together and get out alive. And I need this dagger."

"How could you…" Jefferson trailed off again, but this time from the impending sleepiness, not shock.

"I'll find Grace, once I've killed Rumplestiltskin. I'll be the dark one, and I can protect her. I can reunite you with her. I can get you out of jail," Hook began making promises he knew would be nearly impossible to keep, if only to ease his conscience. He had never felt this level of guilt for betraying someone. Maybe it was because he felt bad that he was separating this man from his daughter. Maybe it was because Neverland caused you to forget nearly everything, including most emotions. The guilt must've been softened by the magic in the land. Regardless, he made a note in the back of his mind that, if everything went according to plan, he would one day help Jefferson and his family.

"You sonuva…" And with one last open-ended sentence, Jefferson fell down, a light snore escaping him. With one last silent apology, Hook ran off into the night, leaving the shouts of, "We found him!" and "Where did the other one go?" behind him.

A few hours later, still in the dead of night, a few of the guards went to give an update on the whereabouts of the dagger to the king, queen. Victor was there as well, since he had been woken by the noises in the castle. When he had been told that Jefferson, his old friend, had been part of it, he refused to go back to sleep.

"So? Where is the dagger?" Charming prompted.

"We have been unable to find it, your majesty," the young man said quietly, as though he were wishing he could sink right into the ground, simply so he could get out of this room.

"How is it possible? The other man could've only been a few meters away!" THe king shouted, pounding his fist against his throne.

"Do we have any more information about the other man?" Victor asked in a quiet and polite manner.

"Yes, the man who was left behind told us exactly who he was. Captain Hook, who, until recently, we all believed to be in Neverland."

Victor froze at the name. Sharply, he said, "Hook? You're certain?"

"Yes, doctor. We're quite certain. A few men even say that they thought they had seen a metal hook instead of a hand. The mad man's words only confirm it."

"Ahh…" He slumped down in his chair. "I think I know how he got here…"

"What's this nonsense?" Snow turned to him, with her concerned and motherly voice on.

"When I got a portal to open and bring me back here, he must've jumped in as well. Word travels quickly around that land. If there was a rumor I had a portal bean, Hook would've heard about it."

Both Charming and Snow looked slightly worried. "Stories of Captain Hook are known well, even in this land. If he were to obtain the Dark One's powers…" Making up his mind, Victor stood.

"He won't. I was already planning to leave on my journey for the princesses today. I can merely add capturing this brute to my to-do list," he finished with a bit of a crooked smile.

"No, Victor, it's dangerous! We can't let you take on both of these tasks!" Charming jumped in quickly.

The doctor was touched by the king's care, but he didn't waver. "The pirate's presence in the Enchanted Forest is my fault. The princesses' absence is as well. I need to right these wrongs. It is my duty." In the back of his mind, Victor was hoping slightly that, perhaps, doing these good tasks would make up for the fate that his brother had met. Or at least it would make him feel like there were some things he could still fix.

Meanwhile, Hook had been running for, by his measurements, far too long. Only a few men from the palace had chased after him after he had abandoned Jefferson, since the rest had been busy trying to find the dagger on his ex-companion. After that, however, a few more had joined the chase. Using some skilled hiding techniques, Hook had managed to evade their pursuit, and found himself quite alone in the middle of the forest. He had been wandering for a long time now, and he decided that he well and truly needed a place to rest for the night. Tomorrow he would go in search of Rumplestiltskin.

He had stored the dagger in a small satchel he had with him, and every so often, he would reach down into it and check that it was still there. He didn't want to be experiencing this guilt for abandoning Jefferson only to loose the reason behind his betrayal along the way.

Absentmindedly torturing himself with different scenarios of how heartbroken this Grace would be, he made his way into a clearing. Glancing around, he realized that he had no recollection of reaching this place. His feet had led him here and, as his eyes landed in shock on a huge tower, he understood why.

The structure before him would be the perfect place to hide out. It was in an obscure area of the woods. It looked from the outside as though it could be dilapidated, but he could just barely see into the one window at the very top. It appeared, from the tiny bit he could view, to be in fine condition. He circled around the walls a bit, but saw no door. He even pressed his hand against it in certain places, hoping that an entrance would magically appear, in the same way the Lost Boy's tree house worked. Still nothing.

Sighing in defeat, he started scaling the walls, just like he had back at the castle. He was tired, and made many clumsy moves along his way. The tower's walls were much smoother that the palace had been, which made it harder to climb, especially with only one hand. Nonetheless, he made it to the top relatively unscathed.

Hopping through the window, he looked around in amazement, something he rarely did, considering how few things amazing him anymore. The walls were covered in murals. There were little project all around, like sewing or cooking.

_Wait…cooking?_ Yes, there was fresh food lying on the center of a table. He walked over cautiously and picked some up. None of it was rotten. If there was fresh fruit, there must also be people that are here regularly, right?

And at the exact moment this thought occurred to him, he heard a whooshing sound in the air. Before he could even turn around, the back of his head was met with a large frying pan. A sickening thud echoed around the room as his body collapsed on to the ground, unconscious, with the the two lost princesses standing over his body, staring in curiosity.


End file.
